a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to covers and closures, and more particularly, to covers of electrical outlets and junction boxes.
b) Description of the Prior Art
Unlike most wall mounted junction boxes, ceiling mounted junction boxes are frequently covered immediately after installation, as homeowners usually wish to decide on ceiling fixtures at a later time. This is often due to the wide variety of lights and fans and combinations available in many styles and sizes for ceiling installation. Earlier covers were usually of the cup or pie plate type. Such prior art covers were typically attached to the junction box using a bracket and screws. This prior art bracket included a threaded hole in its center, and a short length of small diameter threaded pipe threaded into the threaded hole in the bracket. The prior art cover included a hole in its center which was sized to receive the pipe. A decorative cap nut, in this prior art arrangement, was used to engage the protruding pipe and secured the prior art cover to the junction box.
Such prior art covers, although perhaps effective at covering the junction box, were highly visible and, to some, marred the appearance of the ceiling. Later, flat cover plates were developed to maintain a low-profile when attached to the ceiling, thereby being less noticeable. The flat prior art cover plates were usually held in place against the ceiling by flat headed bolts that were screwed into threaded holes of a bracket. This type of prior art cover was an improvement over the earlier version in that it was less noticeable, however, the heads of the securing bolts had to be painted to match the cover and the surrounding ceiling. During installation of this type of cover, it was common for the installer to mar the surface of the cover while tightening the bolts (or screws) of the cover. The paint frequently chipped, making the cover visible and distracting. The cover of this type usually required "touch-up" with paint after the cover had been installed. It is characteristic of prior art covers that no matter how small or decorative, the connecting mechanism is always visible and apparent.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a cover for electrical junction boxes which overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a cover which attaches to a junction box without noticeable fasteners.